Ezra 1:8

"even those, Cyrus king of Persia brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah."

Key Reflection

Cyrus, king of Persia, instructed Mithredath, one of his treasurers, to return items from the temple in Jerusalem to Sheshbazzar, who was appointed by Cyrus as the prince of Judah. This action would have been seen as a significant step in restoring the Jewish community and their religious practices after the Babylonian exile, emphasizing Cyrus's role as a divinely guided leader willing to support the rebuilding of God’s temple.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Mithredath -Or, “Mithridates.” The occurrence of this name, which means “given by Mithra” or “dedicated to Mithra,” is an indication that the sun-worship of the Persians was at least as old as the time of Cyrus. Sheshbazzar -i. e., Zerubbabel. On his royal descent, see1 Chronicles 3:19note.

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